Jiang Ziya (or Jiang Taigong, also known as Lu Shang) was an apprentice of an immortal living deep inside an unvisited mountain, and he left his master at the age of 72. He loved fishing, but, strangely enough, he only used a straight fishhook, without bait, three feet above the water, for angling. His neighbours felt odd at his strange fishing skills, and, out of curiosity, asked the old man for the reason of it. “What I’m angling is not a single fish,” smiled Jiang, “but the emperor and the great many vassals. Only those who really wish to be fished would be finally fished by me.” Jiang meant he was waiting for a man who could recognise and need his talent.

Some people told King Wen of Zhou about the weird old man, and the aggressive vassal had a looming interest in Jiang Ziya. One day, King Wen of Zhou paid a visit to Jiang. Jiang did nothing but demanded King Wen of Zhou to help him pull his cart. King Wen of Zhou did so and stopped pulling after he moved eight hundred steps forwards. Jiang told the vassal that his future kingdom (that is, the Zhou Dynasty) should exist for eight hundred years. King Wen of Zhou wished to pull the cart for more few steps, but he was too exhausted to move forwards. Jiang became the prime minister of Zhou afterward. King Wen was succeeded by King Wu.

(The above photo is the place where Jiang Ziya was fishing according to the legend.  Photo shot in Shannxi province.)